NSIDC-0064Nenana Ice Classic: Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup DatesNenana Ice ClassicNenana Ice Classic: Tanana River Ice Annual Breakup Dates2011-09-29Boulder, Colorado USANSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Centerhttp://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0064.htmlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.5067/DURFYP131STSTechnical ContactNSIDCUser Servicesnsidc@nsidc.org1 303 492-6199 x1 303 492-2468 xNational Snow and Ice Data CenterCIRES, 449 UCBUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCO80309-0449USAEARTH SCIENCECryosphereSnow/IceFreeze/ThawEARTH SCIENCECryosphereSnow/IceIce Growth/MeltEARTH SCIENCECryosphereSnow/IceRiver IceEARTH SCIENCETerrestrial HydrosphereSnow/IceFreeze/ThawEARTH SCIENCETerrestrial HydrosphereSnow/IceIce Growth/MeltEARTH SCIENCETerrestrial HydrosphereSnow/IceRiver IceEOSDISNenana Ice ClassicNenana RiverNSIDCRiver Ice BreakupTanana RiverCLOCKSGROUND STATIONS1917-04-01in work6262-149-1491 yearEOSDISEarth Observing System Data Information SystemESIPEarth Science Information Partners ProgramEnglishNSIDCNational Snow and Ice Data Centerhttp://nsidc.orgData Center ContactNSIDCUser Servicesnsidc@nsidc.org1 303 492-6199 1 303 492-2468 National Snow and Ice Data CenterCIRES, 449 UCBUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCO80309-0449USANASA NSIDC DAACNASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Centerhttp://nsidc.org/daac/index.htmlData Center ContactNSIDCUser Servicesnsidc@nsidc.org1 303 492-6199 x1 303 492-2468 xNational Snow and Ice Data CenterCIRES, 449 UCBUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCO80309-0449USAFTP1 MBASCII Text (.txt)The Tanana river in the Interior of Alaska usually freezes over during October and November. The ice continues to grow throughout the winter accumulating an average maximum thickness of about 110 cm, depending upon winter weather conditions.
The Nenana Ice Classic competition began in 1917 when railroad engineers bet a total of 800 dollars, winner takes all, guessing the exact time (month, day, hour, minute) ice on the Tanana River would break up. Each year since then, Alaska residents have guessed at the timing of the river breakup. A tripod, connected to an on-shore clock with a string, is planted in two feet of river ice during river freeze-up in October or November. The following spring, the clock automatically stops when the tripod moves as the ice breaks up. The time on the clock is used as the river ice breakup time.
Many factors influence the river ice breakup, such as air temperature, ice thickness, snow cover, wind, water temperature, and depth of water below the ice. Generally, the Tanana river ice breaks up in late April or early May (historically, April 20 to May 20). The time series of Tanana river ice breakup dates can be used to indicate climate change in the region.USA/NASACEOS IDN DIF9.72011-09-292015-04-20Changed references to NENANA River to TANANA River. Changed NENANA RIVER ICE CHALLENGE to NENANA ICE CHALLENGE.